Let me start with two statements:-
First - Mumbai Pune Expressway is wider and better than legendary Auto Bahn of Germany, That is in terms of the road width and road surface. Various markings however may need improvement on MP Expressway.
Second - Driving on Auto Bahn or for that matter country roads is a pleasure. Difficult to say so about Mumbai Pune Expressway or any road in India.
Auto Bahn - Auto Bahn of Germany are Federally controlled two or three lane highways having its own white over Blue colour scheme for all the sign boards on it and Auto Bahn have their own numbering system with prefix A and numbers between 1 to 99 with 1 to 9 being long distance Autobahn going across the Germany.
There are only few stretches where there are speed limits. Most stretches of Autobahn have only cautionary limit of 130 kmph. Speed limit are imposed on curvy stretches, bad surfaces and accident prone areas. In some places overtaking is prohibited. All entries and exists are on the side and nothing crosses an Autobahn. That is how it is possible to compare Autobahn and MP Expressway.
Unfortunately, the comparison ends there. On Autobahn, discipline of drivers is legendary (few bad apples do exists but only in terms of doing speeds in excess of the limit). No honking. no lane cutting or Zig Zag driving. The trucks stay in Lane 3, all buses and cars are in lane 2 and everyone goes to lane 1 only to overtake another vehicle or vehicles moving at top of the speed limit (and sometime higher than speed limit). Trucks never come to lane 1. They at the best come two lane two to overtake another truck.
Even if a truck is slow moving ahead of other trucks, unless there is adequate space in lane 2 and there is no vehicle coming in that lane, all trucks very patiently follow that truck without honking or trying to squeezing through and overtaking that slow truck. Similar situation exists in lane 2 if a old driver is driving at snail's pace. every one stays behind him till clear space in lane 1 is found for overtaking. Once overtaking is done, the vehicle would be back to designated lane.
If the No Overtaking sign has come, till No Overtaking sign is cancelled even if there is enough place in the overtaking lane, there is no question of overtaking vehicle ahead of you even if it is safe and can be easily done. Same story is for speed limit. If speed limit is 80 kmph, a Audi or BMW would merrily follow a Hyundai i10 car doing 80 kmph.
The Autobahn thus are high speed, safe to drive and a fun to drive. See the video.
Mumbai Pune Expressway (Because it is the Best road in India) - Now if we come to Indian best of the road, the Mumbai - Pune Expresswy, the first word comes to mind is "Nightmare".
On Mumbai Pune Expressway most lacking is civility and discipline. Just no discipline at all. Everything that can be expected from indisciplined and uncouth drivers is present. Indiscriminate lane cutting, horn honking, slowest car driving in the overtaking lane (First lane from divider) and not budging despite many flashes of headlamp or blowing of horn.
Another regular feature is three trucks, fully loaded, driving at snails pace, in all the three lanes trying to overtake each other caring two hoots for LMVs, as far as these drivers are concerned, rest of road users can go to hell.
Buses drive in any which lane the driver feels like, every body overtaking every body from left or right (side does not matter, thankfully they can't overtake you by driving over you, else that also would have been done). The traffic on MP Expressway is a true follower of Darwin principal of Survival of the Fittest.
If only we bring such enforcement and discipline on Expressway as it exists on Auto Bahn, everyone even when following the speed limit, can complete the expressway length of about 95 km in much less than two hours. Here is a video of driving on our own Mumbai Pune Expressway., see the difference for yourself:-
I am optimist and hope one day our traffic will be as good as traffic Auto Bahn if not better.
First - Mumbai Pune Expressway is wider and better than legendary Auto Bahn of Germany, That is in terms of the road width and road surface. Various markings however may need improvement on MP Expressway.
Second - Driving on Auto Bahn or for that matter country roads is a pleasure. Difficult to say so about Mumbai Pune Expressway or any road in India.
Auto Bahn - Auto Bahn of Germany are Federally controlled two or three lane highways having its own white over Blue colour scheme for all the sign boards on it and Auto Bahn have their own numbering system with prefix A and numbers between 1 to 99 with 1 to 9 being long distance Autobahn going across the Germany.
There are only few stretches where there are speed limits. Most stretches of Autobahn have only cautionary limit of 130 kmph. Speed limit are imposed on curvy stretches, bad surfaces and accident prone areas. In some places overtaking is prohibited. All entries and exists are on the side and nothing crosses an Autobahn. That is how it is possible to compare Autobahn and MP Expressway.
Unfortunately, the comparison ends there. On Autobahn, discipline of drivers is legendary (few bad apples do exists but only in terms of doing speeds in excess of the limit). No honking. no lane cutting or Zig Zag driving. The trucks stay in Lane 3, all buses and cars are in lane 2 and everyone goes to lane 1 only to overtake another vehicle or vehicles moving at top of the speed limit (and sometime higher than speed limit). Trucks never come to lane 1. They at the best come two lane two to overtake another truck.
Even if a truck is slow moving ahead of other trucks, unless there is adequate space in lane 2 and there is no vehicle coming in that lane, all trucks very patiently follow that truck without honking or trying to squeezing through and overtaking that slow truck. Similar situation exists in lane 2 if a old driver is driving at snail's pace. every one stays behind him till clear space in lane 1 is found for overtaking. Once overtaking is done, the vehicle would be back to designated lane.
If the No Overtaking sign has come, till No Overtaking sign is cancelled even if there is enough place in the overtaking lane, there is no question of overtaking vehicle ahead of you even if it is safe and can be easily done. Same story is for speed limit. If speed limit is 80 kmph, a Audi or BMW would merrily follow a Hyundai i10 car doing 80 kmph.
The Autobahn thus are high speed, safe to drive and a fun to drive. See the video.
Mumbai Pune Expressway (Because it is the Best road in India) - Now if we come to Indian best of the road, the Mumbai - Pune Expresswy, the first word comes to mind is "Nightmare".
On Mumbai Pune Expressway most lacking is civility and discipline. Just no discipline at all. Everything that can be expected from indisciplined and uncouth drivers is present. Indiscriminate lane cutting, horn honking, slowest car driving in the overtaking lane (First lane from divider) and not budging despite many flashes of headlamp or blowing of horn.
Another regular feature is three trucks, fully loaded, driving at snails pace, in all the three lanes trying to overtake each other caring two hoots for LMVs, as far as these drivers are concerned, rest of road users can go to hell.
Buses drive in any which lane the driver feels like, every body overtaking every body from left or right (side does not matter, thankfully they can't overtake you by driving over you, else that also would have been done). The traffic on MP Expressway is a true follower of Darwin principal of Survival of the Fittest.
If only we bring such enforcement and discipline on Expressway as it exists on Auto Bahn, everyone even when following the speed limit, can complete the expressway length of about 95 km in much less than two hours. Here is a video of driving on our own Mumbai Pune Expressway., see the difference for yourself:-
I am optimist and hope one day our traffic will be as good as traffic Auto Bahn if not better.
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